River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-09-22
His Last whisky

The last and perhaps the only whisky
transaction General Green Clay Smith
ever had in his life came about in this
way: just before or about the close of
the war General Smith was in Washing
ton City. Engaging a suite of rooms
at one OF the fashionable hotels, he had
sent to his rooms ten gallons of fine
'Old Crow" whisky that had been sent
10 him by some friends in Kentucky
The keg was soon exhausted by the
Generals friends, save bottle or two
which he reserved in case of sickness or
snake-bite. When the General went to
settle his bin the account presented to
him ran thus:
To suite of rooms one week .... $1,000
To corkage forty bottles, at Sl.............40
Total ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. l,2iO
General Smith glanced at the bin and
said to the hotel man: Twelve hun
dred dollars is an eXhOrbitant price for
the rooms, but | will'pay it. The item
for corkage | will not pay, as YOU had
nothing whatever to do with the
whisky sent to my room and have no
right to charge corkage on it. With
stroke of his pen the hotel man cancelled
the corkage item. General Smith drew
his check for 81 200, and the receipted
bill was handed him. Upon the eve of
leaving the city for Kentucky General
Smith presented the hotel man with
a bottle of whisky, SAY ing:
Here. | want YOU to taste the whisky
you wanted to charge me corkage ON. "
The hotel man sampled it and pro-
nounced it the best he had ever tasted,
at the same time requesting General
Smith, if possible, to purchase at least
five barrels Of whisky for him as soon
rs he got 10 Kentucky. Gen. Smith
agreed to accommodate him and, bid
ding him good-by, came to Kentucky.
In few days Gen. Smith went to a
Wholesale whisky dealer in Covington,
where he found the whisky wanted.
What can You sell me five barrels of
whisky for?'' asked General Smith.
Three dollars per gallon, replied
The dealer.
..All right" said Smith ''here is
check for your money. You ship this
wills Y to Mr.. -, Washington city,
and bill it to him at SO per gallon.
The whisky was shipped, General
Smith writing the hotel man that he
would be in the city in few days to
collect the bill in person. In due time
he arrived in the Capital City and call
ed on the hotel man to collect his bill.
The hotel man met Mr.. Smith with
laugh. and said:
well. General, | guess we are
about even, as YOU have made more
than enough on that whisky TO get
back your hotel bill: but | have made
a good thing out of the whiskey any
how. Come now, it's my treat. and
I'll show how have made money and
advertised you at the same time As
soon as the two entered the saloon the
first thing pointed out to General
Smith was several posters hanging
over the counter, upon which, in rich
! goldtletters. was the following, Gen
eral Green Cay Smiths Old Crow
Kentucky Bourbon Whisky. Guaranteed
/ to be twenty-five years old! only fifty
cents drink" well, well, said
General Smith, / have made 81. 400
profit on the whisky, which l intended
as an offset to your eXOrbitant board
bill You take these posters down at
once and Wen call it square, and I'll
quit the whisky trade" And, true
to his word, he has not since bought,
sold or drank drop.